The telecommunications industry has central offices or locations that utilize a substantial number of coax jack modules. The coax jack modules are used to provide cross-connect functions, line monitoring, and line access of high-speed signals carried over coaxial cables.
A coax jack module generally includes a housing that carries one or more internal switching assemblies. Each of the switching assemblies receives a jack plug through a jack port formed in a housing. The internal switch assemblies are interconnected to coax connectors located on the housing opposite the jack ports. The coax connectors are in turn attached to coaxial cables carrying the high-speed signals. In use, jack plugs are inserted into the jack ports to provide cross-connect, line monitoring, and line access functions. The jack plugs each include a pin element that is received by a center conductor of the switching assemblies. Further details of an example coax jack module are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,062, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIGS. 1-3 illustrate one conventional center conductor 10 that can be used in a switching assembly of a coax jack module. During use, a jack plug 12 (partially shown in FIG. 3) is inserted into a jack port of the coax jack module such that a pin element 14 of the jack plug 12 is received within an end 16 of the center conductor 10.
The end 16 of the center conductor 10 has a generally tubular construction 18 that receives the pin element 14 of the jack plug 12. The tubular construction 18 includes a crimped contact portion 20 (FIG. 3) that ensures proper contact between the center conductor 10 and the pin element 14 of the jack plug 12. (FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the center conductor 10 prior to formation of the crimped contact portion 20.) The crimped contact portion 20 is located in a region 22 at which two opposing slots 24, 26 are located. The opposing slots 24, 26 are positioned 180 degrees from one another. The slots 24, 26 accommodate crimping of the tubular construction 18 (i.e. the inward displacement of material), and permit the crimped contact portion 20 to expand when a pin element is inserted into the center conductor. That is, the crimped contact portion 20 functions as a spring beam for mechanical connection to the pin element 14 of the jack plug 12. The contact portion 20 is crimped about the entire circumference (360 degrees) of the tubular construction 18.
Conventional center conductor arrangements have experienced problematic mechanical failure and premature fatigue at the crimped contact portion of the conductor. In general, improvement has been sought with respect to such conductor designs, generally to improve upon component reliability and the extended life cycle of a center conductor, while still ensuring proper electrical contact with a pin element of a jack plug.